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Racism and Prejudice in The Witcher
The main and most visible race conflict that appears in the Witcher series is the conflict between humans and non-humans. Humans are the youngest race to have appeared on the Continent and have slowly but steadily spread their influence, continuously taking over greater parts of the land. The ancient races are angry at humans for their invasive methods, they accuse humans of abusing the land, rather than letting the land feed them when needed. Racism “ -It’s you, people, who hate everything that differs from you, let it be the shape of one’s ears- the elf continued calmly, without paying attention to the remarks of the hornhead.- That’s why you have taken our land, banished us from our homes, displaced us into the wild mountains.” (The Edge of the World) Filavandrel aen Fidhail, the elven king is straightforward about his opinion of the history of human invasion. He describes the racist tendencies of humans and reveals his disdain towards them. “We never ploughed the land, we never tore it apart the way you people do it, with pitchforks and ploughs. The land pays you a bloody tribute. Us it bestowed. You force your treasures out of the land. It birthed and blossomed for us, because it loved us.” ''(The Edge of the World) Xenophobia One of the main victims and observers of '''xenophobia' is Geralt himself. Although, he belongs to the human race, because of such slight differences in appearance such as his white hair, muscular body, and unusual eyes, he never enjoys a warm welcome. It seems that all races are afraid of him, or have some kind of misconception about his profession which contributes to the fact that cannot feel at home anywhere. In the “Grain of Truth” story, Geralt meets a half-monster, who sums up the general opinion of witchers in the Continent. „I have been told about witchers. I remember that they kidnap small children, and then they feed them magical herbs. Those who survive later become witchers themselves, magicians with superhuman abilities. They are trained in the art of killing, and as a result become deprived of any human feelings. They are turned into monsters who kill other monsters. I’ve heard people say it’s high time we started hunting witchers since are less and less beasts, and more and more witchers.”(54) Nivellen, a human who has been hexed and turned into a beast still remembers the rumors his human kin have shared with him. Heartlessness, bestiality, uselessness of witchers' skill, and obsoleteness of their profession are but a few of the insults Geralt faces daily. Another instance of a similar reaction happens in “Lesser Evil. During his first visit at the “Golden Manor”, the representational inn in some town, Geralt encounters a typical reaction towards his self. “'It’s some kind of albino'- chuckled a slender, dark-haired man who was sitting next to Nohorn. Delicate features, big black eyes and spiky ears unquestionably revealed a half-blood elf.- ''Albino, mutant, freak. It’s a wonder they even let them enter taverns and mingle with respectable humans” (A Grain of Truth). Both humans and this half-blood elf address the witcher in an offensive manner. In this case, the animosity towards Geralt is even more paradoxical since half-elves do not enjoy peace and respect amongst people either. Races in The Witcher are able to mix amongst each other, and, although quite a rare occasion, there appear children from such relations. Such children often suffer hardships and are stigmatized for their mixed racial background. This young half-blood knows quite well what it means to be an outcast and yet proves unscrupulous in his opinion of Geralt. '' Finding a compromise Despite the common opinion of Witchers as thoughtless assasins, Geralt is often revealved to have more heart, tolerance and common sense than members of any race that he encounters during his journeys. Throughout the Witcher series he often proves to be the only character able to see past race differences and search for a peaceful solution rather than means of violence. In “The Seed of Truth”, he is able to notice that Nivellen is an actual human being, who has been simply hexed, and manages to break the spell, instead of mindlessly killing him. In “The Witcher” he does not adhere to the strict orders of killing the Striga, but risks his own life in order to bring the young princess back to her human form. In “The Edge of the World”, during his conversation with the elven king, he is the only member of the group to suggest a peaceful solution and compromise in the case of the conflict between elves and humans. “''“The world is vast- the witcher murmured.- We can all fit. There’s enough space”'' (The Edge of the World). Geralt does not try to explain the wrongdoings of the human race, nor does he accuse the elves of using vengeance as an excuse for pointless brutality. He suggests a compromise, because he is aware that in order to simply survive, races cannot be fighting against one another. “''”Go to hell, with all your arrogance and disdain. If you don’t want to coexist, you will be to blame for your own annihilation. ''To coexist, to adjust, that’s your only chance.””(The Edge of the World).